Facebook - The final fix...

Facebook is both a fantastic way of staying in touch with your friends and family, but also a very powerful business tool. Over the past 18 months Facebook has made several updates to the way it works and how this benefits people personally and as a business.  As a business owner of Stancliffe Studios, obviously I want to utilise facebook to keep in touch with my fans, but that is getting mixed-up with how I use facebook in my personal life. I have therefore decided to make a clear distinction between how I use facebook in each instance, and to such end I have created a whole new personal profile for my friends and family, and this will remain detached from my business pages.

For the vast majority of my fans this will have no real impact other than a positive one, as I can now utilise Facebook and our business page to their maximum use and keep everyone up to date on what we are doing, our latest work, and updates of new products and services!

On a personal level, unfortunately this means my friends and family have the little job of reconnecting to me via my new facebook page.

To help everyone distinguish between each of the profiles I have given each a seperate profile picture...

Karl Stancliffe - Photographer profile: 

For updates about the work I'm doing as a wedding and portrait photographer, then connect to me here.... http://www.facebook.com/stancliffestudios.

 For Stancliffe Studios profile:

Here we'll keep everyone up to date on the very latest imformation about what we are up to. We'll be posting photographic offers, samples of our latest works, links to people we've work with and would like to recommend, and much more!

Karl Stancliffe - Personal profile: 

Here I'll post all the usual everyday personal stuff, like holiday photographs, shared youTube videos, comments how the day is going and so on!

For my personal profile you can connect to me here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001515696404

Wedding Photography Interview with BBC Radio Sheffield

I got an unexpected call earlier this week, as a respected member of the wedding community in Sheffield, BCC Radio Sheffield asked for my input on "Weddings of today!". How could I say no, and 2 minutes later I was live with Rony Robinson.

To listen to the interview click on the youTube video below, or visit our youTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/StancliffeStudios.

What are our thoughts on Wedding of today? What would you like to see improve? Any ideas for the wedding of the future? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic, so leave comments here, or email us direct at blog@stancliffestudios.com.

I'm back and straight into my first photographic assignment 'Friends Together'

Well after a two weeks break, I'm back, refreshed and ready to go, which was a good job. Having only landed back in the UK at noon, I was thrown straight back into the fun with a shoot at 4pm for 'Friends Together'.

The assignment was to capture some new publicity photographs of the family and children who depend on this special group for help. Friends Together are a local based group funded by Nottinghamshire Children's Fund, offering services for families of children and young people with additional needs.

Overall, I have to admit it was a great two hours, made only better by meeting the team who work so hard to help these families, making their lives that little bit easy, and a lot more fun. If you would like more information about the group, please contact Dianne Edwards on 01777-274463 Ext 4464.

Holiday time!

Well the last 24 hours have certainly been manic, in fact the last two weeks, hence the lack of posts! Well I'm writing this blog as I sit on a plane on my way to a quick break in Turkey before the summer wedding photography season really kicks up another gear.

The last few weeks whilst busy playing catch-up have certainly been an enjoyable time. I've had the fantastic pleasure of photographing a wedding at the Palm House in Sefton Park, Liverpool, another wedding in Hull and another at the Priest House Hotel, Castle Donnington in Derbyshire. We've captured some wonderful and important memories along the way with one couple playing giant connect four, another singing with Elvis (what friends do after a glass of champagne), sunset pictures by the river side and of course all those moments of happiness as they exchange promises to each other and laugher at the grooms expense during the best mans speech... ...and many many more.

In the last 24 hours in preperations for my quick getaway I've sent one album to Italy for production, checked on the progress of three others, and sent a further two coffee books to Amsterdam for reproduction. I've then processed two family photography shoots taken on-location at Harewood House and a park near our studios in Sheffield.

For one of the lifestyle/on-location family shoots we've created a stunning deep wood framed panoramic of the little boys eating ice-creams and for other family they choosen one of our stunning and vibrant contemporary acrylics.

So all in all a wonderful time has been had by all. Whilst I might be tired the huge hug I received from the bride as I left them at midnight last weekend summed up how important my job is; and a pleasureable one to boot!


- Photography post from my iPhone

Location:On a plane somewhere between the uk and Turkey

Updated wedding portfolio/gallery now online

We been very conscious that our wedding gallery / portfolio is little out of date, so we now updated this 135 new wedding day photographs showing a wide range of the images we cover. Our portfolio now includes photographs including, the wedding preparations, civil and church ceremonies, kids, confetti throwing, the first dance, having fun with the groups, cutting of the cake, and some stunning couples photographs, with a few extra special photographs taken at night outside...

Oh and if that wasn't enough, we've also added more of those all important detail shots of the dress, shoes, flowers, cuff links and more. Then to finish, we added some addition photos taken during the speeches, and look out for the groom with his head in hands.

We hope you enjoying reviewing out gallery, but if you think we can improve it more, then please let us know using our feedback form. We also welcome honest feedback, and it's how we continue to improve our service. You can get to our feedback from here -  Please give us your feedback

Here is a small selection of some the new reportage and contemporary wedding photographs on the website...   ...enjoy!

Wedding Competition

Check out our latest wedding photography competition to win wedding coverage for your 2011 or 2012 wedding based at 2010 prices, which could save you a fair few pennies...

Our wedding photography package competition is free to enter, and everyone who proceeds with a wedding booking wins a prize, regardless of who wins the big one! For more information about our latest chance to win visit the website at http://www.stancliffestudios.com/competition.html, and enter today. Competition closes 31st May 2010.

Good luck to everyone.

Secret Sessions - Party hard with Richard and the gang...

As a photography I always like to have the gauntlet thrown down now and then, and last Saturday night was certainly one of those photographic challenges I couldn't say no too. Despite photographing a wedding all day, I left the happy couple at midnight and headed into town. Arriving at Aroma on London Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire for a private dance function organised by Richard and the gang (see www.steeltownvip.com for more information). I have to admit I really didn't know what to expect...

As if photographing in a dance club wasn't hard enough, when i get there I find out the lighting rigs hadn't arrived due to a problem, so I was photographing in the dark!!

So here is a small selection of photographs taken on the night, or should I say early hours of Saturday morning.

No stopping me now!

Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good blog, I'm having a ball...

Well the saying "there's an app for everything" is pretty true and i've just got hold of one to allow me to blog-on-the-go! There really is no stopping me now...

- Photography blogging-on-the-go!

New product coming online soon

On Monday I was at the annual UK photography trade show, where many of the worlds leading suppliers show-off their new products and services. I usually walk away from such a full day of scrutinising product after product feeling tired yet still looking forward to working with new suppliers. This year I almost bounced out of the doors feeling highly excited by what I had seen and discussed, to the point I couldn't sleep on Monday night! It's now midnight on Tuesday and I'm still thinking of all the fantastic photographic products, and already we have plans for several new lines... 

For our portrait photography line-up we will be introducing:

• Some all new framing ranges and sizes
• Some fantastic contemporary canvas options
• An extension to our acrylic range with some more modern presentation ideas
• We are also seeking to introduce a whole new coffee table book range for our portrait sessions.

For our wedding photography line-up we have even more:

• A brand new contemporary album range which is absolutely stunning!
• Some updates to our traditional or overlay album range
• Further updates on our album design options...but don't worry all designs will remain in house and  exclusively by me...
• more framing options (as part of our portrait range as well)
• And last but not least we are also hoping to extend our wedding stationary options

So without doubt I've got a lot of work to do to review, test, sample and bring fully online all of these great  products and services, but wow am I looking forward to it.

Keep your eyes here for updates as I bring these products online for you all in the coming days and months.

Happy Photographing

A thank you makes all the difference

Recently I've been feeling a little low having not been able to lift a camera for over 6 weeks since a my little accident on the slopes, Today however that changed and I was once again reminded why all this pain is worth it. Today I received a card from a client and inside it read....

"Words can't even begin to express how grateful we are for all the hard work you put into capturing every special moment on our wedding day.

We couldn't have asked for more beautiful photographs and your service was impeccable from start (even before actually) to finish. Our album is absolutely exquisite - and if needed reassurance, everyone who sees it says it's the best they've seen.

We can't begin to thank you enough. Our wedding was the best day of our lives and you captured it perfectly.

Thank you!"

To Lucy & James, I want to thank you for reminding why I love this career so very much...

If you would like to see their album, and more then visit the website at http://www.stancliffestudios.com/our_albums.html